Bottle Number: 1409Opened on: 3/13/15Pours a dark blood red. Smells of tart raspberries with a lingering waff of alcohol. Tatses of fresh fruit, and dark chocolate finishing with a small bite reminding you its an Imperial. Definitely would recommend anyone picking up a bottle if they can find one.

22oz bottle from LambicPentameter (many thanks!). No bottling date but this is labled as bottle #1808, whatever that means. Served in a goblet.

Pours a garnet hued deep brown with almost two fingers of beige head. The bubbles fade to a tiny ring around the edge that leaves only a few ocassional patches of lace.

Aromas of raspberry, cereal grains, molasses and a little cocoa.

Flavor has a serious milk chocolate covered raspberries thing going on. Nice! Raspberry, chocolate, molasses, mildly tart stone fruit skin, caramel, earth, tobacco and enough alcohol presence to remind you to respect it. The berries and smoothness of flavor make this not quite refreshing but much easier to drink than you may assume for it's near double digit booze bill.

Creamy, medium full body with moderately sharp carbonation. Semi tart berry, chocolate and burnt sugar finish but that raspberry goodness lingers on the for a really long time.

I still prefer an imperial stout but this is a mighty fine brown ale. The raspberry addition is spot on- enough to be consistently present but it leaves room for the chocolatey caramel base. Not sure I'd go out of my way for it but I'll happily consume it if another chance comes up.

Deep brown with amber highlights. Fingernail thick tightly woven head of beige head is on top. Brussels lacing. Seriously sweet aroma of a raspberry sauce is all I get,but it is appealing. The mouth is unexpectedly warm and silky smooth. I detect plenty of dark malt,fig,and coffee notes. There's definitely raspberry,but unlike the aroma it is a background note on the palate. A great dessert beer.